Simpang Bingung

Tourists and Locals are Complaining that Poor Construction Supervision at Simpang Siur Underpass Project Dangerous to the Public

(10/26/2012) Local residents and visiting foreign tourists are complaining about the disorder and confusion surrounding the building of the underpass now taking place at the Simpang Siur intersection in Kuta, Bali.

Beritabali.com quotes a German visitor, Julia, who said: “I don’t feel safe passing this project. In addition to the dust, there are many piles of dirt along the side of the road, which is very dangerous for those passing through this area, especially those on motorcycles. The road project is very good for overcoming traffic congestion, but the work needs to better organized.”

Julia added: “In my country (Germany), there are no projects like this. (There) The contractors pay attention to the safety of the public.”

Similar complaints have also come from local citizens who travel through the construction zone. One of these is Made Sukarno who lives in Denpasar and works in Nusa Dua.

“Frankly, this road project is causing people stress – there are traffic jams and it’s very dusty. There are also piles of dirt on the side of the road. This is very dangerous for road users, even more so when it rains when the soil becomes muddy and slippery,” Sukarno explained.

Made Sukarno said he hope those working on the road project can work in a more organized fashion and pay attention to road user safety. He also asked that the piles of dirt and pools of water on the sides of the road be eliminated to enhance safety.

In response to these complaints, the government official overseeing the Simpang Siur Underpass Project, Hendro Satrio, explained that the road project has entered the phase of pouring cement on the left side of the roadway heading towards the Ngurah Rai Airport, claiming the underground project is now 62% completed.

“For this reason we apologize for any inconvenience caused to the traveling public. The pools of water (along the road) are not caused by broken water pipes, but we are in fact spaying water in these areas to reduce the heat and make the road more comfortable for the public,” said Hendro.

Bali’s first underpass project was commenced in 2011 and is scheduled for completion in 2013. The estimated cost of the project is Rp. 179 billion (US$18.6 million)

The Simpang Siur underpass is one of several infrastructure projects sponsored by the Central Government to prepare the island of Bali for the APEC Conference to be held in the last quarter of 2013.